


He's the World Ender Baby, and He's Comin' For You

by Kinkri



Category: Strange Trails - Lord Huron (Album)
Genre: 60's slang, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-23
Updated: 2018-07-23
Packaged: 2019-06-14 23:11:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 905
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15399675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kinkri/pseuds/Kinkri
Summary: Short exchange between two gang members concerning a certain Cobb Avery and his gang, and their deceased status. Not really canon-compliant (if such a thing is even possible with Strange Trails)





	He's the World Ender Baby, and He's Comin' For You

**Author's Note:**

> wrote this stupid thing after listening to the strange trails album for a couple hours. it's a really good album, y'all, and the world ender really got my imagination goin'

‘You heard, boss?’

‘Heard what?’

‘They say Cobb’s back.’ Jim shifted in his seat to face his subordinate.

‘What? Avery?’

‘Yeah, Avery, know anyone else with the first name Cobb?’ Jim rolled his eyes and grunted exasperatedly.

‘Who the fuck is saying that?’ Gus shrugged. 

‘The guys over at George’s.’

‘They should fuckin’ say somethin else. Cobb is dead.’ Jim shifted back forward to look out the windscreen. ‘Dead n’ buried.’

‘I dunno, boss. Sure seems like he’s back,’ Gus said meekly.

‘Men don’t come back from the dead, Gus. I don’t give a shit what those louts at George’s say,’ Jim said angrily, gripping the steering wheel.

‘Then who d’you think derailed that Winthrop train? Sure as hell seemed like the World Enders.’

‘Some wannabe gang who’re gonna get their asses kicked soon as the Pinkertons come down here, which they will.’ Jim turned back again. ‘Avery is dead, and the World Enders are done,’ Jim said firmly, punctuating each clause with a slice of his hand through the air. He shifted to face forward, and gripped the wheel so tight the leather of his gloves started to squeak. ‘I put half of ‘em in the ground myself.’

‘Wouldn’t be the first time one of the World Enders climbed out of a grave. I hear it wouldn’t even be the second.’

‘Men don’t come back from the dead! Just because some drunkard had a dehydration-fueled hallucination out in the desert don’t mean Johnnie got back up out of his grave! It don’t mean the World Ender is back neither!’ Jim yelled at the windscreen, trying to convince himself just as much as he was trying to convince Gus.

‘They say Cobb’s done came back from the dead once before.’

‘Already told you, I don’t give a screaming fuck what they say! They’re just making up stories because they’re scared shitless of some clutz in a leather jacket! So cool your chops, Gus, before I cool ‘em for you!’

‘I’d like to, but if the World Ender taps on our window they’ll heat back up again pretty quick.’ Jim grumbled angrily for a second before shouting back at Gus;

‘So you think the World Enders are a bunch of zombies? A gang of vampires? Fuck, should we track down Avery’s grave and drive a stake through his heart? How bout Johnnie, I can tell you’re terrified of that fuckin’ anklebiter.’

‘I never said—’

‘Fuck it.’ Jim started the car, and gunned it out onto the highway. ‘Johnnie died near here. We find where that fuckin’ clyde said he buried him and we settle this. You’ll see. You’ll stop flappin’ your jaw about men comin’ back from the dead.’ Gus wisely stayed quiet as they raced down the road, settling to buckle his seatbelt.

* * *

 

‘Fuck.’

‘See?’ Gus said, more frustrated than smug. Jim rubbed his unshaven chin, gripping his own face tightly as he stared down the empty hole in front of him. There was loose dirt in the bottom, like someone had danced holes in their soles all over the grave’s floor. The dirt that had been dug up to make the grave stood in a pile to the left, blowing away in the hot desert wind.

‘This don’t mean shit,’ Jim declared.

‘What’re you talkin’ about? You said it yerself, this is where Johnnie was buried. And it’s empty.’

‘I said it was a fuckin’ hallucination. I stand by my words. Nobody was buried here.’

‘So where the fuck is Johnnie’s cadaver?’

‘Somewhere else, obviously.’ Gus stared down Jim for a second, raising his hands and letting them fall against his jeans in an exasperated gesture. Jim ignored him. ‘Yeah, he died further on. I’m sure of it.’

‘Wanna go find it, then?’ Jim turned and shoved Johnnie in the chest.

‘I’ll do you one better. We’ll find the World Ender’s grave. Dig him up, prove this is all bullshit,’ Jim spit through his teeth, shoving his finger in Gus’s face. Jim strode back to the car and Gus spit into the grave and followed, muttering:

‘Fer fuck’s sake.’

* * *

 

‘Shit. Fuck. God,  _ dammit _ all. God-fucking-dammit.’ Jim ran his hands through his hair, eyes bulging. Gus stood to his right, looking dejected.

‘Told ya’ so.’ Jim slammed his foot into Gus’s knee, enough to to bring him down on it, but not enough to cripple him.

‘This really the fuckin’ time?’

‘No time like the present. ‘Specially now, we might not have much time left.’ Jim anxiously paced back and forth, gripping at his hair and dragging his hands down his face, cursing colorfully. Gus persisted in staring at the ground in front of them, ground that had been recently disturbed. Through the scattered dirt and sand, a splintered coffin was visible six feet under. 

‘Fuck!’ Jim yelled, kicking the tire, then stumbling back and kicking up dust.

‘We gotta get the fuck outta here, Gus.’

‘It don’t matter, Jim. He’s the World Ender.’

‘Yeah, and he’s fuckin’ comin’ for us. Let’s go.’

‘Shut the fuck up, Jim. Look, the sky’s already turnin'.’ Above them, red clouds tumbled over the previously grey sky.

‘Shit! Fuck, Gus, you can stay here if you want. I’m fuckin’ beating it.’ Jim was true to his word, and in seconds he was burning rubber away from the grave, and Gus fell to both knees, resigned to what was coming. He looked up, and saw his silhouette on the horizon.

  
  
  



End file.
